Top 10 Most Memorable Political Events

The year 2015 has been a memorable one for all Nigerians especially in the political scene. This year, the political tension was so high especially during the campaign and the period leading the general elections.
There was a lot of hate speech and speculations that the election would be a violent one. Many Nigerians even fled the country before the elections. There were predictions all over and a lot of people were truly scared for the unity of Nigeria.
But, things worked out well and not the way people expected it.
There were a lot of political activities during the course of the year that rocked the country.
Below are 10 memorable 2015 political events.
1. The campaigns:

PDP presidential campaign in Edo state.

There was a lot of hate electioneering campaign flying around in the build up to the election. It was like a battle between the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who were so bent on destroying each other’s image.
Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state and the former First Lady, Patience Jonathan were leaders of hate campaign and their attacks were mostly directed at President Muhammadu Buhari and his party. The most memorable was the Buhari certificate saga which was eventually resolved.
Both parties tried to dig up dirt against each other, throwing accusations in other win the hearts of Nigerians.
2. Postponement of the Election:
The postponement of the 2015 general elections by six weeks by the Independent National Electoral Commission came as a surprise to many. The election had been scheduled for February 14 and 28. But, week to the scheduled election, it was postponed. The postponement was however greeted with protest from the APC.
3. The presidential election:
The 2015 presidential election was the most keenly contested since 1999 when Nigeria returned to democratic rule. Though there other parties contesting in the election, the battle was between Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP. The election held on March 28 and Nigerians came out in their numbers to vote. For the first time, INEC introduced the use of card readers which malfunctioned in some areas. The card reader machines failed to recognize the biometrics of the then president, Jonathan and his wife when they went for accreditation in his ward in Otuoke, Bayelsa state.

Jonathan called Buhari to congratulate him before INEC announced winner of the election.

The most significant thing that got a lot of people talking and changed the history of Nigeria was Jonathan’s acceptance of defeat. Before the results were announced by INEC, Jonathan called Buhari to congratulate him on his victory, thereby averting whatever tragedy would have been.
4. The governorship election:
The governorship election held two weeks later on April 15. It was peaceful in some areas while some states like Rivers state experienced some measure of violence. Lagos governorship election was peculiar as the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu openly threatened the Igbos that they will be thrown into the lagoon if they do not support his preferred candidate Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC.
5. Inauguration:

Muhammadu Buhari during his inauguration and swearing in ceremony on May 29, 2015

On May 29, Jonathan handed over power the President Buhari at the Eagle Square, Abuja, marking the beginning of the promised “change” era.
One of the most memorable thing about the event was Buhari’ s speech that he “belongs to everybody and belongs to nobody.”
6. National Assembly elections:
After the swearing in of Buhari, came the National Assembly election which did not go the way the ruling party envisioned. In a dramatic turn of event, Senator Bukola Saraki was elected the Senate president against the wish of his party while Ike Ekweremadu was elected as his deputy. All this happened while members of the APC went for a purported meeting with President Buhari earlier in the day only to return to assembly complex to discover what had happened.

Saraki during his swearing-in as Nigeria’s senate president yesterday

Hon Yakubu Dogara got elected as the speaker of the House of Representatives, which also was against the wish of APC leadership to install Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila from the Southwest as speaker.
7. Unveiling Buhari’s ministers:
Nigerians had to wait for over four months after Buhari took over power to know those that would serve in the president’s cabinet. After much wait, the president finally sent part of the list on September 30 to the Senate president after the upper chamber had closed for the day. The following week, the list was unveiled by Saraki during plenary. The list had names Buhari’s long-time associates, politicians as well as technocrats with no known political affiliations. It quickly sparked reactions as many wondered why the president took so long in appointing ministers if he already knew those he would pick.
8. Screening of ministers:
Next came the screening of the ministers which according to the Senate, will not be business as usual. After much drama, it appeared to be business as usual. The nomination of former governor, Rotimi Amaechi sparked controversy and was strongly opposed by Senators from Rivers state. On the day, Amaechi was to be confirmed, members of the PDP staged a walkout to show they were not in support of his confirmation. Some other nominations were also rejected but at the end, they all scaled through after all the setting up of panel and investigations.
9. Ministers’ inauguration and portfolios:

Ministers

On Wednesday, November 11, Buhari inaugurated 36 ministers and announced their portfolios. He slashed the federal ministries from 29 to 25 and announced himself as the substantive minister of petroleum resources.
10. Inconclusive elections:
The kogi state governorship election held on November 21 but was declared inconclusive by INEC. Then tragedy struck as the governorship candidate of the APC, Abubakar Audu died the next day and the party had to pick someone else, Yahaya Bello to replace him in a supplementary poll scheduled for December 5. Bello won the supplementary election, making him the Governor-elect.
On that same December 5, the Bayelsa gubernatorial polls held and it ended in a stalemate as it was also declared inconclusive as it was marred by violence and ballot box snatching